Storm Watch 02.21 – Wallow

            It was a scorching hot day in LA it had been this way for a week and no one was happy about it.  No amount of air conditioning was cooling down the houses, the cars of the offices.  Tempers were easy to flare and Bette had been one of them flaring.  She’d gotten into a fight with Peggy Peabody‘s daughter, and she was about to throw the whole idea of working with the Peabody Foundation out on its ear. 

            It was Saturday and she just wanted to relax so she headed out to the Planet.  It had been a ritual since the beginning of time, at least, her time with Tina.  Now it was different, there were many other faces sitting at that table. 

            Shane with Carmen on occasion, sometimes Jenny with her ‘*****’ of the day and her new ‘Shane-a-fied‘ look.  Sam alone but only once since CJ’s passing.  The doctor was closed off, but she was making an effort, so it seemed.  Alice with Dana and Lara a trio that had Bette often wondering what was hiding behind Alice’s eyes as she stared at Dana and her girlfriend.  Then there was Tina and Rosita who had their own life, well away from the group, but they did mingle, even if rarely. 

            Of course, now there was Bette and Catiana, the Cajun lady that was slowly making her way into Bette‘s life.  Lunch mostly but two dinners so far, and she’d found herself responding to the woman even when she tried to fight it.  How things had changed in the last few months.  Catiana had more patience than Bette had ever seen, and the woman was a total mystery to her.

            Bette walked into the Planet and saw Tina sitting alone at the Planet table that had been their designated table since the beginning.  Bette stood with her coffee, caught in thought when she heard Tina‘s voice over the morning din,

            “Are you going to sit or stand there all day Porter?”  Bette snapped back to the reality that she’d dealt herself and went over to the table, sitting across from Tina.  She smiled sheepishly something she rarely did.